An automation system with a plurality of communicatively connected automation devices is disclosed. One of the connected automations devices serves as a domain controller and holds centrally in a memory data required for operation for the automation system and the automation devices. Hitherto frequently occurring multiple storage of such data is eliminated, the data is available at a central location for access by all the automation devices, and the domain controller, as a central data server, ensures consistency of the data administered and provided by it, which also permits access optimizations, such as e.g. device-, access- or structure-dependent temporary storage strategies.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An automation system, comprising a plurality of communicatively connected automation devices, wherein one of the automation devices serves as a domain controller, wherein the domain controller comprises a memory that holds centrally in the memory data required for operating the automation system and the automation devices, said data comprising configuration and runtime data to be shared by the automation devices, wherein the memory in the domain controller is divided into two memory areas; wherein the domain controller is configured such that a transfer data from a development system to the memory of the domain controller is first transferred to a memory area flagged as a free memory area without overwriting a memory area designated as an occupied memory area having data already present therein; wherein the domain controller is configured to implement a check of the transferred data to ensure consistency such that any inconsistency of the transferred data results in an error signal and the transferred data is discarded from the free memory area and the free memory area remains flagged as the free memory area, otherwise consistency is ensured, the data is enabled, and the free memory area containing the transferred data is now flagged as the occupied memory area and the previously occupied memory area is now flagged as the free memory area for subsequent overwriting; and wherein the domain controller is configured to centrally administer the data to be shared by the automation devices after ensuring consistency, wherein access by the automation devices is via an access layer that allows access to the data held by the domain controller in the occupied memory area.
2. A method for operating an automation system having a plurality of communicatively connected automation devices, wherein one of the automation devices serves as a domain controller and holds centrally in a memory data required for operating the automation system and the automation devices, said data comprising configuration and runtime data to be shared by the automation devices, wherein the memory in the domain controller is divided into two memory areas, the method comprising: transferring data from a development system to the memory of the domain controller first to a memory area flagged as a free memory area without overwriting a memory area designated as an occupied memory area; acknowledging receipt by the domain controller to the development system that the transfer is complete; receiving by the domain controller an activation signal for the transferred data from the development system; implementing by the domain controller a check of the transferred data to ensure consistency; returning a status signal by the domain controller to the development system resulting from the check wherein: (1) when the check determines an inconsistency of the transferred data, the status signal returned is an error signal, the transferred data is discarded from the free memory area, and the free memory area remains flagged as the free memory area; otherwise, (ii) the check determines consistency of the transferred data, the status signal returned is a positive signal, the data is enabled, and the free memory area containing the transferred data is now flagged as the occupied memory area and the previously occupied memory area is now flagged as the free memory area for subsequent overwriting; and centrally administering the data shared by the automation devices after ensuring consistency, wherein access by the automation devices is via an access layer that allows access to the data held by the domain controller in the occupied memory.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein when data held on the domain controller are accessed by an automation device, the data are temporarily stored either on the part of the domain controller or on the part of the automation device.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein an extent of temporary storage is automatically selected depending on a kind of access, on a type of the respective accessing automation device and/or on a structure of the data accessed.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the temporary storage takes place both on the accessing automation device and on the domain controller.
6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for, when executed on a computer system, carrying out a method for operating an automation system having a plurality of communicatively connected automation devices, wherein one of the automation devices serves as a domain controller and holds centrally in a memory data required for operating the automation system and the automation devices, said data comprising configuration and runtime data to be shared by the automation devices, wherein the memory in the domain controller is divided into two memory areas, the method comprising: transferring data from a development system to the memory of the domain controller first to a memory area flagged as a free memory area without overwriting a memory area designated as an occupied memory area; acknowledging receipt by the domain controller to the development system that the transfer is complete; receiving by the domain controller an activation signal for the transferred data from the development system; implementing by the domain controller a check of the transferred data to ensure consistency; returning a status signal by the domain controller to the development system resulting from the check; wherein: (i) when the check determines an inconsistency of the transferred data, the status signal returned is an error signal, the transferred data is discarded from the free memory area, and the free memory area remains flagged as the free memory area; otherwise, (ii) the check determines consistency of the transferred data, the status signal returned is a positive signal, the data is enabled, and the free memory area containing the transferred data is now flagged as the occupied memory area and the previously occupied memory area is now flagged as the free memory area for subsequent overwriting; and centrally administering the data shared by the automation devices after ensuring consistency, wherein access by the automation devices is via an access layer that allows access to the data held by the domain controller in the occupied memory.
7. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 6 , wherein, when data held on the domain controller are accessed by an automation device, the data are temporarily stored either on the domain controller or on the automation device.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 , wherein an extent of temporary storage is automatically selected depending on a kind of access, on a type of the respective accessing automation device and/or on a structure of the data accessed.
9. The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the temporary storage takes place both on the accessing automation device and on the domain controller.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 17, 2009
January 10, 2012
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